2008 Mercedes-benz C Class 4matic Owners Manual

Trunk lamp

The trunk lamp switches on if the trunk is opened. If the trunk remains open, the trunk light- ing switches off automatically after ap- proximately 10 minutes.

For better orientation in the dark, the cor- responding door entry lamps will switch on in darkness when you open a door and the automatic control is activated. The door entry lamps switch off when the corresponding door is closed.

i If you turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 0 and switch off the exterior headlamps, the door entry lamps will remain lit for approximately 5 minutes.

1 Right rear reading lamp on/off 2 Left rear reading lamp on/off 3 Left reading lamp 4 Rear interior lamp 5 Right reading lamp 왘 Switching on/off rear reading

lamps: Press button 1 or 2. The respective left or right rear reading lamp comes on.

Switch the rear interior lamp on/off with the button in the overhead control panel.

116

왔 Windshield wipers

Combination switch 1 Switching on windshield wipers 2 Single wipe

Wiping with windshield washer fluid

! If the windshield wipers leave smears on the windshield after the car has been driven through an automatic car wash, then wax or other resi- due is on the windshield. Shortly after washing the car in an automatic car wash, clean the wind- shield with windshield washer fluid.

! Do not operate the windshield wipers when the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates on a windshield might scratch the glass and/or damage the wiper blades when wiping occurs on a dry windshield. If it is necessary to operate the windshield wipers in dry weather conditions, al- ways operate the windshield wipers with wind- shield washer fluid.

Controls in detail Windshield wipers

! If anything blocks the windshield wipers (leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off immediate- ly. 앫 For safety reasons, stop the vehicle in a safe

location and, 앫 remove the SmartKey from starter

switch or

앫 turn off the engine by pressing the

KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and open the driver’s door (with the driver’s door open, starter switch is in position 0, same as with SmartKey re- moved from starter switch) 앫 engage the parking brake before attempting to remove any blockage.

앫 Remove blockage. 앫 Turn the windshield wipers on again. If the windshield wipers fail to function at all in combination switch position U or V, 앫 set the combination switch to the next

higher wiper speed

앫 have the windshield wipers checked at the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center

왘 Switch on the ignition.

117

Controls in detail Windshield wipers

Switching on/off windshield wipers

Single wipe

Intermittent wiping

왘 Press the combination switch briefly in the direction of arrow 2 (컄 page 117) to the resistance point. The windshield wipers wipe one time without washer fluid.

Only switch on intermittent wiping under wet weather conditions or in the presence of precipitation.

! Vehicles with rain sensor*: Do not leave windshield wipers in intermittent setting when the vehicle is taken to an automatic car wash or during windshield cleaning. Wipers will operate in the presence of water sprayed on the windshield, and the windshield wipers may be damaged as a result.

! Vehicles with rain sensor*: If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an undes- ired fashion. This could then damage the wind- shield wiper blades or scratch the windows. You should therefore switch off the windshield wip- ers when weather conditions are dry.

왘 Turn the combination switch to the desired position depending on the intensity of the rain. M Windshield wipers off U Slow intermittent wiping

(rain sensor* operation with low sensitivity)

V Fast intermittent wiping

(rain sensor* operation with high sensitivity)

u Slow continuous wiping t Fast continuous wiping

i When the windshield wipers are switched on and you brake the vehicle to a stop, the wipers operate more slowly.

118

왘 Turn the combination switch to posi-

tion U or V. Intermittent wiping starts with selected wiping interval. Vehicles with rain sensor*: After the initial wipe, pauses between wipes are automatically controlled by the rain sensor. Intermittent wiping interval is depen- dent on wetness of windshield.

i Intermittent wiping is interrupted when the vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is opened. This protects persons getting into or out of the vehicle from being sprayed. Intermittent wiping will be continued when 앫 all doors are closed

and

앫 the clutch pedal is depressed (vehicles with

manual transmission or

앫 the gear selector lever is position D or R (ve-

hicles with automatic transmission*) or

앫 the wiper setting is changed using the com-

bination switch

Controls in detail Windshield wipers

Wiping with windshield washer fluid

왘 Press the combination switch in the di- rection of arrow 2 (컄 page 117) past the resistance point. The windshield wiper operates with washer fluid.

i To prevent smears on the windshield or noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind- shield washer fluid every now and then even when it is raining.

i Vehicles with headlamp cleaning system*: The headlamp cleaning system* will clean the headlamps automatically after the first and every tenth time windshield washer fluid is used while the engine is running (컄 page 112). For information on filling up the washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer system and headlamp cleaning system*” (컄 page 330).

119

Controls in detail Power windows

Opening and closing power windows

The door windows are opened and closed electrically. The switches 앫 for all door windows are on the driver’s

door

앫 for the front passenger door window

are on the front passenger door

앫 for each rear door window are on the

respective rear door

1 Left front door window 2 Right front door window 3 Right rear door window 4 Override switch 5 Left rear door window

120

Warning!

Warning!

Do not keep any part of your body up against the side window pane when opening a win- dow. The downward motion of the pane may pull that part of your body down between the window pane and the door frame and trap it there. If there is a risk of entrapment, release the switch and press it again to close the window.

When closing the windows, make sure there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure. Activate the override switch (컄 page 57) when children are riding in the back seats of the vehicle. The children may otherwise in- jure themselves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the window opening.

The closing of the door windows can be im- mediately halted by releasing the switch or, if the switch was pressed past the resis- tance point and released, by pressing the lower part of the respective switch again.

The door windows are equipped with the ex- press-close and automatic reversal func- tion. If the window encounters an obstruction that blocks its path in a circum- stance where you pressed the switch past the resistance point and released it to close the window, the automatic reversal function will stop the window and open it slightly.

If the window encounters an obstruction that blocks its path in a circumstance where you are closing the window by pressing and holding the switch, by pressing and holding button ‹ on the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*, by pressing and holding the sensor surface (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*) on an outside door handle, or by pressing and holding button , on the climate control panel (Canada only), the automatic reversal function will not operate.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac- cess to a vehicle could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury.

Controls in detail Power windows

왘 Opening: Press the desired switch 1 to 4 (컄 page 120) to the resistance point. The corresponding window will move down until you release the switch.

왘 Closing: Pull the desired switch 1 to

4 (컄 page 120) to the resistance point. The corresponding window will move up until you release the switch.

i You can also open or close the windows us- ing the SmartKey, see “Summer opening fea- ture” (컄 page 123) and “Convenience closing feature” (컄 page 124).

i Operating the windows from the rear is not possible if you activate the override switch (컄 page 57).

i With the SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or removed from the starter switch, the power windows can be operated: 앫 until you open the driver’s or front passenger

door

앫 for approximately 5 minutes if no door was

Warning!

opened

왘 Switch on the ignition (컄 page 82).

If you press and hold the switch up when closing the window, and upward movement of the window is blocked by some obstruc- tion including but not limited to arms, hands, fingers, etc., the automatic reversal will not operate.

컄컄

121

왘 Stopping during Express-operation: Briefly press the respective power win- dow switch again.

Controls in detail Power windows

컄컄

왘 Express-opening: Press the switch 1 to 4 (컄 page 120) past the resistance point and release. The corresponding window opens com- pletely.

왘 Express-closing: Pull the switch 1

to 4 (컄 page 120) past the resistance point and release. The corresponding window closes com- pletely.

Warning!

Driver’s door only: If within 5 seconds you again press the switch past the resistance point and re- lease, the automatic reversal will not oper- ate.

122

Warning!

If a window is blocked while closing and re- opens, it can be closed with greater force if you pull the switch to the resistance point within 2 seconds.

If the window is blocked again and reopens, you can close it with deactivated anti-trap protection by pulling the switch again to the resistance point within 2 seconds.

When closing windows with the anti-trap protection deactivated, make sure no one can become trapped, as this could result in serious or fatal injuries.

! If the upward movement of the window is blocked during the closing procedure, the win- dow will stop and open slightly. Remove the ob- struction, press the respective power window switch again past the resistance point and re- lease. If the window still does not close when there is no obstruction, press and hold the re- spective power window switch. The side window will then close without the protection of the au- tomatic reversal feature.

Summer opening feature

If the weather is warm, you can ventilate the vehicle before driving off by simulta- neously: 앫 opening the side windows 앫 opening the tilt/sliding sunroof or pan- orama roof with power tilt/sliding pan- el* and roller sunblinds

i The “Summer opening” function can only be activated via the remote control of the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

왘 Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey towards the sensor in the driver’s out- side door handle. The SmartKey must be in close proximity to the driver’s door handle.

왘 Press button Œ to unlock the

vehicle.

Vehicles with tilt/sliding sunroof 왘 Press and hold button Œ until the side windows and tilt/sliding sunroof have reached the desired position.

왘 Release button Œ to interrupt pro-

cedure.

Controls in detail Power windows

Vehicles with panorama roof* If roller sunblinds are retracted: 왘 Press and hold button Œ. The side windows and roller sunblinds begin to open/extend after approximately 1 second.

왘 With the side windows and roller blinds fully opened/extended, press and hold button Œ again. The tilt/sliding pan- el tilts and opens.

If roller sunblinds are extended: 왘 Press and hold button Œ. The side windows move down and the tilt/slid- ing panel tilts and opens after approxi- mately 1 second.

왘 Release button Œ to interrupt proce-

dure.

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Controls in detail Power windows

Convenience closing feature

When you lock the vehicle, you can close the side windows and tilt/sliding sunroof or panorama roof with tilt/sliding panel* simultaneously. Afterward, you can close the roller sun- blinds* of the panorama tilt/sliding sun- roof*.

i The function of the SmartKey overrules the KEYLESS-GO function.

Warning!

When closing the windows and the tilt/slid- ing sunroof or panorama roof with tilt/slid- ing panel*, make sure there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing proce- dure.

If potential danger exists, proceed as fol- lows: 앫 Release button ‹ to stop the closing procedure. To open, press and hold but- ton Œ. To continue the closing after making sure that there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing pro- cedure, press and hold button ‹.

Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only): 앫 Release the sensor surface on the out- side door handle (컄 page 125) to stop the closing procedure.

앫 Immediately pull on the same outside door handle and hold firmly. The side windows and the tilt/sliding sunroof or panorama roof with tilt/sliding panel* will open for as long as the outside door handle is held but the door is not opened.

124

Vehicles with SmartKey

왘 Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey towards the sensor in the driver’s out- side door handle. The SmartKey must be in close proximity to the driver’s door handle.

왘 Press button ‹ to lock the vehicle.

Vehicles with tilt/sliding sunroof 왘 Press and hold button ‹ until the side windows and the tilt/sliding sun- roof are completely closed.

왘 Release button ‹ to interrupt pro-

cedure.

Controls in detail Power windows

Vehicles with panorama roof* 왘 Press and hold button ‹ until the

side windows and the tilt/sliding panel are completely closed.

The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be located outside the vehicle within approxi- mately 3 ft (1 m) of a door. 왘 Close all doors.

Vehicles with panorama roof* 왘 Touch and hold sensor surface 1 until

the side windows and the tilt/sliding panel are completely closed.

왘 Press and hold button ‹ again.

The roller sunblinds close.

왘 Release button ‹ to interrupt pro-

cedure.

Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only)

Vehicles with tilt/sliding sunroof 왘 Touch and hold sensor surface 1 until

the windows and the tilt/sliding sun- roof are completely closed.

i Make sure you are only touching the sensor surface. 왘 Release sensor surface 1 to interrupt

procedure.

i Make sure you are only touching the sensor surface. 왘 Touch and hold sensor surface 1

again. The roller sunblinds close.

왘 Release sensor surface 1 to interrupt

procedure.

1 Sensor surface on door handle

125

Starting the engine

Manual transmission

Warning!

Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un- consciousness and possible death.

Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a garage) which are not properly ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the vehicle while driving, have the cause determined and corrected immediately. If you must drive under these conditions, drive with at least one window fully open.

Gearshift pattern for manual transmission For more information, see “Manual trans- mission” (컄 page 136).

Controls in detail Driving and parking

Warning!

Make sure absolutely no objects are ob- structing the pedals’ range of movement. Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta- cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals still have sufficient clearance.

During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the objects could get caught between the pedals. You could then no longer brake or accelerate. This could lead to accidents and injury.

126

왘 Starting: Depress brake pedal. 왘 Make sure the gearshift lever is in neutral position (no gear selected).

왘 Fully depress clutch pedal.

Otherwise the engine cannot be started due to the integrated safety interlock.

왘 Do not depress the accelerator. 왘 Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 3 and hold until the engine starts.

For information on turning off the engine, see “Turning off the engine” (컄 page 134).

Automatic transmission*

Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission P Park position R Reverse gear N Neutral D Drive position For more information on how to operate the gear selector lever, see “Automatic transmission*” (컄 page 127).

Controls in detail Driving and parking

SmartKey 왘 Starting: Make sure the gear selector

lever is set to P.

왘 Do not depress the accelerator. 왘 Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 3 and hold until the engine starts.

i You can also use the “touch-start” function. Turn the SmartKey to position 3 and release it again immediately. The engine then starts automatically.

i You can also start the engine with the auto- matic transmission set to N.

For information on turning off the engine with the SmartKey, see “Turning off the en- gine” (컄 page 134).

127

i You can also start the engine with the auto- matic transmission set to N.

i If you wish to start the vehicle with the SmartKey instead of the KEYLESS-GO feature, remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button from the starter switch and proceed as described in “Starting with the SmartKey” (컄 page 127). For information on turning off the engine with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off the en- gine” (컄 page 134).

Controls in detail Driving and parking

KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only)

Warning!

As long as the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in your vehicle, the vehicle can be started. Therefore, never leave children unattended in the vehicle, as they could otherwise acci- dentally start the engine.

When leaving the vehicle, always take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac- cess to a vehicle could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury.

You can start your vehicle without the SmartKey in the starter switch using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button on the starter switch. The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be located in the vehicle.

128

1 KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button

(Canada only)

왘 Starting: Make sure KEYLESS-GO start/stop button is inserted in the starter switch (컄 page 83).

왘 Make sure the gear selector lever is set

to P.

왘 Depress the brake pedal during the

starting procedure.

왘 Do not depress the accelerator. 왘 Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

once. The engine starts if the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle.

Controls in detail Driving and parking

Starting difficulties

! Remember that extended starting attempts can drain the battery.

The engine does not start. You can hear the starter. There could be a malfunction 앫 in the engine electronics, or 앫 in the fuel supply system Carry out the following steps: 왘 If you are starting the engine with the

SmartKey: Turn SmartKey in starter switch to position 0 and repeat starting procedure (컄 page 126).

왘 If you are starting the engine with

KEYLESS-GO*: Close any doors that may be open to allow for better detec- tion of the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

or 왘 Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop

button from starter switch.

왘 Start the engine with the SmartKey as radio signals from another source may be interfering with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

Driving off

Warning!

왘 Repeat the starting procedure

(컄 page 126).

If the engine does not start after several starting attempts: 왘 Call Roadside Assistance. 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz

Center.

The engine does not start. You cannot hear the starter. The battery may not be sufficiently charged. 왘 Get a jump start (컄 page 451). If the engine will not start despite a jump start: 왘 Call Roadside Assistance. 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz

Center.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could release the parking brake, which could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury.

Warning!

On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order to obtain braking action. This could result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi- cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre- vent this type of loss of control.

129

Controls in detail Driving and parking

1 Release handle 2 Parking brake pedal 왘 Release the parking brake by pulling on

release handle 1. The indicator lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instru- ment cluster goes out.

! If you hear a warning signal, the red indica- tor lamp 0 (USA only) or ! (Canada only) in the instrument cluster flashes and the mes- sage Release Parking Brake appears in the multifunction display when driving off, you have forgotten to release the parking brake. Release the parking brake.

130

i At vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph (15 km/h), the automatic central locking system engages and the locking knobs in the doors drop down. The automatic door lock feature can be deacti- vated (컄 page 173). You can open a locked door from the inside. Open door only when conditions are safe to do so.

! Simultaneously depressing the accelerator pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine performance and causes premature brake and drivetrain wear.

! Do not run a cold engine at high engine speeds as this may shorten its service life.

Manual transmission 왘 Fully depress the clutch pedal.

! In order to avoid damage to the transmis- sion, place the gearshift lever to reverse gear only when the vehicle is stopped. 왘 Move gearshift lever to first gear to drive forward, or to reverse gear to drive in reverse.

왘 Release the brake pedal. 왘 Simultaneously slowly release the

clutch pedal and carefully depress the accelerator pedal.

! Shift gear in a timely manner and do not ex- ceed the maximum permissible engine speed for each gear. Do not allow the wheels to spin as this could damage the drive train.

Automatic transmission*

왘 Release the parking brake by pulling on

Turn signals

Controls in detail Driving and parking

Warning!

It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le- ver out of P or N if the engine speed is high- er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel- erate quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

i Shifting from gear position P to position R, N, or D is only possible with the brake pedal de- pressed. Without the brake pedal depressed, the gear selector lever can be moved, but the park- ing pawl remains engaged, not allowing shifting to occur. 왘 Depress the brake pedal.

The gear selector lever can now be used.

release handle 1. The indicator lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instru- ment cluster goes out.

왘 Shift automatic transmission to D or R.

i Wait for the gear selection process to com- plete before setting the vehicle in motion.

! Shift the automatic transmission to P or R only when the vehicle is stopped in order to avoid damaging the transmission. 왘 Release the brake pedal. 왘 Carefully depress the accelerator

pedal.

After a cold start, the automatic transmis- sion shifts at a higher engine revolution. This allows the catalytic converter to reach its operating temperature earlier. For more information, see “Driving instruc- tions” (컄 page 311).

Combination switch 1 Turn signals, right 2 Turn signals, left 왘 Press the combination switch in the

direction of arrow 1 or 2. The corresponding turn signal indicator lamp L or K in the instrument cluster flashes (컄 page 26).

The combination switch resets automati- cally after major steering wheel move- ments.

131

Controls in detail Driving and parking

i To signal minor directional changes such as changing lanes, press combination switch only to point of resistance and release. The corre- sponding turn signals will flash three times.

Problems while driving

The engine runs erratically and misfires 앫 An ignition cable may be damaged. 앫 The engine electronics may not be op-

erating properly.

앫 Unburned gasoline may have entered the catalytic converter and damaged it.

왘 Give very little gas. 왘 Have the problem repaired at an autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

132

The coolant temperature is above 248°F (120°C) The coolant is too hot and is no longer cooling the engine. 왘 Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and turn off the en- gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool off.

왘 Check the coolant level and add cool-

ant if necessary (컄 page 329).

i Excessive coolant temperatures trigger a warning message in the multifunction display (컄 page 402).

In case of accident If the vehicle is leaking gasoline: 왘 Do not start the engine under any cir-

cumstances.

왘 Move away from vehicle. 왘 Notify local fire and/or police authori-

ties.

If the extent of the damage cannot be de- termined: 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz

Center.

If no damage can be determined on the 앫 major assemblies 앫 fuel system 앫 engine mount: 왘 Start the engine in the usual manner.

Parking

Warning!

With the engine not running, there is no power assistance for the brake and the steering systems. In this case, it is impor- tant to keep in mind that a considerably higher degree of effort is necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.

Warning!

Do not park this vehicle in areas where com- bustible materials such as grass, hay, or leaves can come into contact with the hot exhaust system, as these materials could be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.

To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re- sult of vehicle movement, before turning off the engine and leaving the vehicle always: 앫 Keep right foot on brake pedal.

앫 Manual transmission: Move the gear-

shift lever into neutral position (no gear is selected).

앫 Firmly depress parking brake pedal. 앫 Manual transmission: Move the gear-

shift lever into first or reverse gear. 앫 Automatic transmission*: Move the

gear selector lever to position P.

앫 Slowly release brake pedal. 앫 When parked on an incline, turn front

wheels towards the road curb.

앫 Turn the SmartKey to starter switch

position 0 and remove, or press KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (컄 page 84).

앫 Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle when leaving.

Controls in detail Driving and parking

Warning!

Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle is in motion can cause the rear wheels to lock up. You could lose control of the vehicle and cause an accident. In addition, the vehicle’s brake lights do not light up when the parking brake is engaged.

1 Release handle 2 Parking brake pedal

컄컄

133

Controls in detail Driving and parking

컄컄

왘 Step firmly on parking brake pedal 2.

When the engine is running, the warning lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instru- ment cluster will be illuminated.

Warning!

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could release the parking brake and/or move the gear selector lever from position P, either of which could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury.

134

Position P alone may not prevent your vehi- cle from moving, possibly hitting people or objects. Always set the parking brake in ad- dition to shifting to position P (컄 page 140) (manual transmission: first or reverse gear (컄 page 126). When parked on an incline, always turn the front wheels towards the road curb.

Getting out of your vehicle without taking the above measurements to secure it is dangerous.

Turning off the engine

왘 Manual transmission: Move the gear-

shift lever into first or reverse gear. 왘 Automatic transmission*: Place the

gear selector lever in position P.

i Vehicles with automatic transmission*: You can switch off the engine with the selector lever in position N. However, to secure the vehi- cle, you need to set the selector lever to P and apply the parking brake. The SmartKey can only be removed from the starter switch with the gear selector lever in position P.

i Always set the parking brake in addition to shifting to position P (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). On slopes, turn the front wheels towards the road curb.

Warning!

Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle has come to a complete stop. With the en- gine not running, there is no power assis- tance for the brake and steering systems. In this case, it is important to keep in mind that a considerably higher degree of effort is nec- essary to brake and steer the vehicle.

SmartKey 왘 Turning off: Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 0 and remove it. The immobilizer is activated.

KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) 왘 Turning off: Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button to turn off the en- gine. With the driver’s door closed, the start- er switch is now in position 1. With the driver’s door opened, the starter switch is set to position 0, same as SmartKey removed from starter switch.

i In an emergency you can turn off the engine while driving by pressing and holding the KEYLESS-GO start/ stop button for approxi- mately 3 seconds.

Controls in detail Driving and parking

Releasing seat belts

왘 Press the seat belt release button

(컄 page 106). Allow the retractor to completely re- wind the seat belt by guiding the latch plate.

! Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so that the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get caught or pinched in the door or in the seat mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or cause damage to the door and/or door trim pan- el. Such damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

135

Controls in detail Manual transmission

Manual transmission is standard equipment on C 300 Sport and not available on other models. For information on driving with a manual transmission, see “Manual transmission” (컄 page 130).

Do not park this vehicle in areas where combustible materials such as grass, hay or leaves can come into contact with the hot exhaust system, as these materials could be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.

Warning!

Warning!

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could move the gearshift lever, which could result in an accident and/or serious person- al injury.

For vehicles equipped with a manual trans- mission, getting out of your vehicle with the gearshift lever not engaged in first or reverse gear and parking brake engaged is dangerous.

Also, when parked on an incline, an engaged first or reverse gear alone may not prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people or objects.

Always set the parking brake in addition to engaging first or reverse gear (컄 page 134). When parked on an incline, turn front wheels towards the road curb.

136

Warning!

On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order to obtain braking action. This could result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of control.

Warning!

Make sure absolutely no objects are ob- structing the pedals’ range of movement. Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta- cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals still have sufficient clearance.

During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the objects could get caught between or be- neath the pedals. You could then no longer brake or accelerate. This could lead to acci- dents and injury.

! When you are shifting into the 5th or 6th gear, make sure you press the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise, you could accidentally shift into the 3rd or 4th gear and damage the trans- mission. Downshifting gears leading to overrevving the engine can result in engine damage that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warran- ty. Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by using the clutch pedal. The clutch may be damaged which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim- ited Warranty. Do not exceed the engine speed limits. Refer to tachometer (컄 page 149) for engine speeds.

Controls in detail Manual transmission

Shifting into reverse

! Only shift into reverse gear R when the vehi- cle is stationary, as the transmission could oth- erwise be damaged. 왘 Stop the vehicle completely. 왘 Fully depress clutch pedal. 왘 Move the gearshift lever to neutral

position (no gear selected).

왘 Move the gearshift lever to the left until

you feel a certain resistance.

왘 Push the gearshift lever past this

resistance.

왘 Then move the gearshift lever forward

into position R.

Gearshift pattern for manual transmission

137

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

For more information on driving with an automatic transmission, see “Automatic transmission*” (컄 page 131). Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear shifting process to your individual driving style by continually adjusting the shift points up or down. These shift point adjust- ments are performed based on current operating and driving conditions. If the operating conditions change, the automatic transmission reacts by adjusting its shift program.

i During the brief warm-up, transmission upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic converter to heat up more quickly to operating temperature.

138

Warning!

Gear selector lever

Make sure absolutely no objects are ob- structing the pedals’ range of movement. Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta- cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals still have sufficient clearance.

During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the objects could get caught between be- neath the pedals. You could then no longer brake or accelerate. This could lead to acci- dents and injury.

The gear selector lever is located on the lower part of the center console.

Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission P Park position R Reverse gear N Neutral D Drive position

i The current gear selector lever position P, R, N or D appears in the multifunction display (컄 page 140).

Warning!

Shifting procedure

The automatic transmission selects indi- vidual gears automatically, depending on: 앫 gear selector lever position D (컄 page 140) with gear ranges (컄 page 143)

앫 the selected program mode (C/S)

(컄 page 144)

앫 the position of the accelerator pedal

(컄 page 142)

앫 the vehicle speed

It is dangerous to shift the gear selector lever out of park position P or neutral position N if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

An additional indication of the current gear selector lever position can be found on the cover of the shifting-gate. The indicators come on when you activate a switch (e.g. unlocking the vehicle or opening a door) and go out after approxi- mately 15 minutes.

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

! Allow engine to warm up under low load use. Do not place full load on the engine until the operating temperature has been reached. Shift into reverse gear R or park position P only when the vehicle is stopped. Avoid spinning of a drive wheel when driving off on slippery road surfaces. This may cause seri- ous damage to the drivetrain which is not cov- ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

When the gear selector lever is in drive position D, you can influence transmission shifting by: 앫 limiting the gear range 앫 changing gears manually

139

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Gear selector lever positions

The current gear selector lever position appears in the multifunction display.

1 Current gear selector lever position

140

Effect

ì Park position

Gear selector lever position when the vehicle is parked. Place gear selector lever in park position P only when vehicle is stopped. The park position is not intended to serve as a brake when the vehicle is parked. Rather, the driver should always set the parking brake in addition to placing the gear selector lever in park position P to secure the vehicle.

Effect The SmartKey can only be removed from the starter switch with the gear selector lever in park position P. With the SmartKey removed, the gear selector lever is locked in park position P. If the vehicle’s electrical system is malfunctioning, the gear selector lever could remain locked in park position P (컄 page 426). í Reverse gear

Place gear selector lever in position R only when vehicle is stopped.

Effect

ë Neutral

No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive axle. When the brakes are released, the vehicle can be moved freely (pushed or towed). To avoid damage to the trans- mission, never engage neutral position N while driving. If the ESP® is deactivated or malfunctioning: Move gear selector lever to neu- tral position N only if the vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.

ê Drive

The transmission shifts automatically. All forward gears are available.

! Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other reason with gear selector lever in neutral position N can result in transmission damage that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

Warning!

Getting out of your vehicle without shifting into park position P is dangerous. Also, park position P alone is not intended to or capa- ble of preventing your vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people or objects. Always set the parking brake (컄 page 140) in addition to shifting to park position P.

When parked on an incline, turn the front wheels towards the road curb.

Do not park this vehicle in areas where com- bustible materials such as grass, hay or leaves can come into contact with the hot exhaust system, as these materials could be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Warning!

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could move the gear selector lever from park position P, which could result in an ac- cident and/or serious personal injury.

Getting out of your vehicle without taking the above measurements to secure it is dangerous.

141

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Driving tips

Accelerator position Your driving style influences the transmission’s shifting behavior: Less throttle More throttle

Earlier upshifting Later upshifting

Kickdown Use kickdown when you want maximum acceleration. 왘 Press the accelerator past the point of

resistance. Depending on the engine speed the transmission shifts into a lower gear.

왘 Ease on the accelerator when you have

reached the desired speed. The transmission shifts up again.

142

Working on the vehicle

Warning!

When working on the vehicle, set the parking brake and move gear selector lever to park position P. Otherwise the vehicle could roll away.

Stopping When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights: 왘 Leave the transmission in gear. 왘 Hold the vehicle with the brake. When you stop for a longer period of time with the engine idling and/or on a hill: 왘 Set the parking brake. 왘 Move the gear selector lever to park

position P.

Maneuvering When you maneuver in tight areas, e.g. when pulling into a parking space: 왘 Control the vehicle speed by gradually

releasing the brakes.

왘 Accelerate gently. 왘 Never abruptly step on the accelerator.

The selected gear range appears in the multifunction display.

Gear ranges

With the gear selector lever in drive position D, you can select a gear range for the automatic transmission to operate within. Gear selector lever (컄 page 145): You can limit the gear range by pressing the gear selector lever to the left (D-), and reverse the gear range limit by pressing the gear selector lever to the right (D+).

1 Current gear range

Effect

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Effect

è The transmission shifts through

third gear only. With this selection you can use the braking effect of the engine. ç The transmission shifts through

second gear only. Allows the use of engine’s braking power when driving 앫 on steep downgrades 앫 in mountainous regions 앫 under extreme operating

ï The transmission shifts through

sixth gear only.

î The transmission shifts through

fifth gear only.

é The transmission shifts through

fourth gear only.

conditions

æ The transmission operates in

first gear only. For maximum use of engine’s braking effect on very steep or lengthy downgrades.

143

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Automatic shift program

The program mode selector switch is located on the lower part of the center console.

The selected program mode appears in the multifunction display.

Program mode selector switch C Comfort S Sport

For comfort driving For standard driving

1 Selected program mode (comfort or

sport)

! Never change the program mode when the gear selector lever is out of park position P. This could result in a change of driving characteristics for which you may not be prepared.

i The last selected program mode (C or S) is switched on when the engine is restarted.

왘 Press program mode selector switch

repeatedly until the letter of the desired program mode appears in the multifunction display. Select C for comfort driving: 앫 The vehicle starts out in second

gear (both forward and reverse) for gentler starts. This does not apply if full throttle is applied or gear range 1 is selected.

앫 Traction and driving stability are

improved on icy roads.

앫 Upshifts occur earlier even when

you give more gas. The engine then operates at lower rpms and the wheels are less likely to spin.

Select S for standard driving: 앫 The vehicle starts out in first gear. 앫 Upshifts occur later.

144

Gear selector lever one-touch gearshifting

With the gear selector lever in drive position D, you can limit or extend the gear range.

! Allow engine to warm up under low load use. Do not place full load on the engine until the operating temperature has been reached. Shift into reverse gear R or park position P only when the vehicle is stopped. Avoid spinning of a drive wheel when driving off on slippery road surfaces. This may cause seri- ous damage to the drivetrain which is not cov- ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

Limiting gear range

Warning!

On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order to obtain braking action. This could result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of control.

왘 Briefly press the gear selector lever to

the left in the D- direction. The transmission will shift to the next lower gear as permitted by the shift program. This action simultaneously limits the gear range of the transmis- sion (컄 page 143).

i To avoid overrevving the engine when down- shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s max. speed would be exceeded.

Extending gear range 왘 Briefly press the gear selector lever to

the right in the D+ direction. The transmission will shift to the next higher gear as permitted by the shift program. This action simultaneously extends the gear range of the transmis- sion.

i If you press on the accelerator when the en- gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Canceling gear range limit 왘 Press and hold the gear selector lever in the D+ direction until D reappears in the multifunction display (컄 page 140). The transmission will shift from the current gear range directly to gear range D.

Shifting into optimal gear range 왘 Press and hold the gear selector lever

in the D- direction. The transmission will automatically select the gear range suited for optimal acceleration and deceleration. This will involve shifting down one or more gears.

145

Controls in detail Automatic transmission*

Emergency operation (Limp-Home Mode)

If vehicle acceleration becomes less re- sponsive or sluggish or the transmission no longer shifts, the transmission is most likely operating in limp-home (emergency operation) mode. In this mode only second gear and reverse gear can be selected. 왘 Stop the vehicle in a safe location. 왘 Move the gear selector lever to park

position P.

왘 Turn off the engine. 왘 Wait at least 10 seconds before

restarting.

왘 Restart the engine. 왘 Move the gear selector lever to position D (for second gear) or position R.

왘 Have the transmission checked at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

146

A full view illustration of the instrument cluster can be found in the “At a glance” section of this manual (컄 page 26). You can change the instrument cluster settings in the instrument cluster submenu of the control system (컄 page 168).

Controls in detail Instrument cluster

Multifunction display

The multifunction display is activated when you: 앫 open a door 앫 switch on the ignition 앫 switch on the exterior lamps The language setting for the multifunction display can be changed via control system (컄 page 168).

왔 Instrument cluster

Warning!

No messages will be displayed if either the instrument cluster or the multifunction dis- play is inoperative.

As a result, you will not be able to see infor- mation about your driving conditions, such as speed or outside temperature, warning/ indicator lamps, malfunction/warning mes- sages or the failure of any systems. Driving characteristics may be impaired.

If you must continue to drive, please do so with added caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

147

Controls in detail Instrument cluster

Adjusting instrument cluster display illumination

1 Dimmer

i The instrument cluster illumination is dimmed or brightened automatically to suit am- bient light conditions. The instrument cluster illumination will also be adjusted automatically when you switch on the vehicle’s exterior lamps.

148

왘 Brightening illumination: Turn

Coolant temperature gauge

dimmer 1 clockwise.

왘 Dimming illumination: Turn dimmer 1 counterclockwise.

The coolant temperature gauge is on the left side in the instrument cluster (컄 page 26).

Warning!

앫 Driving when your engine is overheated can cause some fluids which may have leaked into the engine compartment to catch fire. You could be seriously burned.

앫 Steam from an overheated engine can cause serious burns and can occur just by opening the hood. Stay away from the engine if you see or hear steam com- ing from it.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until the engine has cooled down.

Controls in detail Instrument cluster

! Excessive coolant temperature triggers a warning in the multifunction display (컄 page 402). The engine should not be operated with the cool- ant temperature above 248°F (120°C), i.e. in the red zone of the coolant temperature gauge. Doing so may cause serious engine damage which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim- ited Warranty.

i During severe operating conditions, e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant temperature may rise close to 248°F (120°C), i.e. close to the red zone of the temperature gauge.

Tachometer

Outside temperature indicator

The red marking on the tachometer de- notes excessive engine speed.

The outside temperature is indicated in the multifunction display (컄 page 151).

! Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as it may result in serious engine damage that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

To help protect the engine, the fuel supply is interrupted if the engine is operated within the red marking.

Warning!

The outside temperature indicator is not de- signed to serve as an ice-warning device and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.

Indicated temperatures just above the freez- ing point do not guarantee that the road sur- face is free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in wooded areas or on bridges.

149

Fuel gauge

The fuel gauge is on the left-hand side of the instrument cluster (컄 page 26). Once the fuel level has fallen below the reserve mark, the yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp 4 for the fuel reserve comes on (컄 page 380).

Controls in detail Instrument cluster

The outside temperature sensor is located in the front bumper area. Due to its loca- tion, the sensor can be affected by road or engine heat during idling or slow driving. Therefore, the accuracy of the displayed temperature can only be verified by com- parison to a thermometer placed next to the sensor, not by comparison to external displays (e.g. bank signs, etc.). When moving the vehicle into colder ambi- ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your garage), you will notice a delay before the lower temperature is displayed. A delay also occurs when ambient temper- atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem- perature indications caused by heat radiated from the engine during idling or slow driving.

150

왔 Control system The control system is activated as soon as the SmartKey in the starter switch is turned to position 2 or as soon as the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (Canada only) is in position 2. The control system enables you to: 앫 call up information about your vehicle 앫 change vehicle settings For example, you can use the control system to find out when your vehicle is next due for service, to call up statistical data on your vehicle, and much more.

Controls in detail Control system

Warning!

Multifunction display

A driver’s attention to the road and traffic conditions must always be his/her primary focus when driving.

For your safety and the safety of others, selecting features through the multifunction steering wheel should only be done by the driver when traffic and road conditions permit it to be done safely.

Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) every second.

The control system relays information to the multifunction display.

1 Text field 2 Line for main menus 3 Temperature 4 Current program mode

(automatic transmission*) 5 Current gear selector lever

position/gear range (automatic transmission*) Additional speedometer (manual transmission)

6 Digital clock Settings, functions, submenus as well as any malfunctions are shown to you in the text field.

151

Controls in detail Control system

Multifunction steering wheel

Item

The displays in the multifunction display and the settings in the control system are controlled using the buttons on the multi- function steering wheel.

1 Multifunction display

Operating control system

2 Volume control:

Press button æ to increase volume ç to decrease volume Telephone*: Press button s to take a call to dial a call t to end a call

to reject an incoming call

F to mute

3 ! to activate Voice Control*

Item

4 L to cancel Voice Control*,

back, confirm messages

5 To call up line for menus and select

menus: Press button & to scroll to the right ( to scroll to the left To select submenu or scroll through lists: Press button $ to scroll up % to scroll down Press button # to confirm selection or

messages

i Voice Control* is only available with COMAND*. Refer to separate operating instruc- tions.

152

Depending on the selected menu (컄 page 155), pressing the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel will alter what is shown in the multifunction display. The information available in the multifunc- tion display is arranged in menus, each containing a number of functions or sub- menus. The individual functions are then found within the relevant menu (radio or CD op- erations under Audio, for example). These functions serve to call up relevant informa- tion or to customize the settings for your vehicle. In the Settings menu, instead of functions you will find a number of submenus for calling up and changing settings. For instructions on using these submenus, see “Submenus in the Settings menu” (컄 page 166). It is helpful to think of the menus, and the functions within each menu, as being arranged in a circular pattern.

Controls in detail Control system

The number of menus available in the sys- tem depends on which optional equipment is installed in your vehicle.

왘 Press and hold button L until the standard display featuring the odome- ter and speedometer appears.

왘 To confirm selection:

Press button #.

왘 To confirm display message:

Press button # or L. The control system saves certain dis- play messages. Calling up display mes- sages (컄 page 164).

For information about warning and mal- function messages appearing in the multi- function display (컄 page 387).

i The headings used in the menus table are designed to facilitate navigation within the sys- tem and are not necessarily identical to those shown in the control system displays. The first function displayed in each menu will au- tomatically show you which part of the system you are in.

Using the control system 왘 To select a menu:

Press button ( or &.

왘 To select a submenu:

Press button % or $.

왘 To go to the next higher menu level:

Press button L.

왘 To select the standard display: Press button L repeatedly until the stan- dard display featuring the odometer and speedometer appears.

or

153

Controls in detail Control system

Menus

This is what you will see when you scroll through the menus.

The table on the next page provides an overview of the individual menus.

154

Controls in detail Control system

Menus, submenus and functions

Menu 1
Trip computer (컄 page 156) Standard display

Menu 2
Navi* (컄 page 158) Show route guid- ance instructions, current direction traveled

Fuel consumption statistics since start

Fuel consumption statistics since the last reset Distance to empty

Digital speed- ometer or outside temperature

Menu 3
Audio (컄 page 158) Selecting radio station

Menu 4
Tel* (컄 page 160) To take a call

Selecting satellite radio station*

Select a phone book entry

Operating CD player*

Redial

Menu 6
Settings (컄 page 165) Reset to factory settings

Instrument cluster submenu

Menu 5
Service (컄 page 164) Call up vehicle mal- function, warning and system status mes- sages stored in mem- ory1
Tire Pressure Monitor- ing System (TPMS) (USA only) Run Flat Indicator (Canada only)

Call up maintenance service display

1 The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.

155

Controls in detail Control system

Trip menu

In the Trip menu, you can show an addi- tional display for the speedometer and call up or reset your vehicle’s statistical data. The following information is available:

Function Standard display Fuel consumption statistics since start Fuel consumption statistics since last reset Distance to empty Digital speedometer Resetting

Page 156
156

157

157
158
157

156

Standard display In the standard display, the trip odometer and the main odometer are shown in the multifunction display.

Fuel consumption statistics since start 왘 Press ( or & to select the Trip

menu.

왘 Press % to select From Start.

1 Trip odometer 2 Main odometer If another display is shown instead of the standard display: 왘 Press ( or & to select the Trip

menu.

or 왘 Press button L repeatedly until the

standard display appears.

or 왘 Press and hold button L until the

standard display appears.

1 Distance driven since start 2 Time elapsed since start 3 Average speed since start