2003 Mercedes-benz C Class Coupe Owners Manual

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3 Telephone*: Press button í to take a call ì to end a call Item Page 4 Menu systems: Press but- ton è for next system ÿ for previous system 5 Moving within a menu: Press button j for next display k for previous display At a glance Multifunction steering wheel Multifunction steering wheel 24 Center console At a glance Center console Item 9 Climate control 10 Ashtray 11 Storage compartment 12 Armrest 13 Program mode selector for automatic transmission 14 Gearshift lever for manual transmission Selector lever for automat- ic transmission Page 142 198 196 197 136 44 45 Item 1 Seat heater*, driver‘s side 2 ESP control switch 3 Hazard warning flasher switch – switching on/off 4 Central locking switch 5 Anti-theft alarm system in- dicator lamp Tow-away alarm switch 6 Seat heater*, passenger side 7 Indicator lamp 7 8 Audio system, or COMAND* (see separate operating instructions) Page 91 75 99 87 78 79 91 67 159 25 At a glance Overhead control panel Overhead control panel 26 Item 1 Rear interior lighting on/off Page 100 2 Panorama sliding/pop-up 186 roof* 3 Right reading lamp on/off 4 Interior lighting control 5 Hands-free microphone for Tele Aid* (emergency call system), telephone* and voice control system* (see separate operating instruc- tions) 6 Rear view mirror 7 Garage door opener 8 Left reading lamp on/off 9 Tele Aid* (emergency call system) button 101 100 200 39, 138 209 101 204 Door control panel At a glance Door control panel Item 1 Door handle 2 Memory function (for stor- ing seat, mirror and steer- ing wheel settings) 3 Seat adjustment 4 Switches for opening/clos- ing front door windows Page 85 93 32 182 27 28 Getting started Unlocking Adjusting Driving Parking and locking 29 Getting started Unlocking The “Getting started” section provides an overview of the vehicle’s most basic func- tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners should pay special attention to the infor- mation given here. If you are already familiar with the basic functions described here, the “Controls in detail” section will help you with further in- formation. The corresponding page refer- ences are at the end of each segment. Unlocking Unlocking with the SmartKey SmartKey with remote control 1 ‹ Lock button 2 Œ Unlock button 3 Â Panic button* (컄 page 72) Canada only: Only vehicles equipped with an anti-theft alarm system* have SmartKeys with integrated panic button* 3. 왘 Press unlock button 2 Œ on the key. All turn signal lamps blink once. The locking knobs in the doors move up. 왘 Get in the vehicle and insert the key in the starter switch. 30 Warning! When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey from the starter switch and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattend- ed in the vehicle, or with access to an un- locked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury. Vehicles with automatic transmission: The SmartKey can only be removed from the starter switch with the gear selector lever in position P. Starter switch positions Starter switch 0 For removing key The steering is locked when the key is removed from the starter switch. If necessary, move steering wheel slight- ly to allow the locking mechanism to engage. 1 Power supply to some electrical con- sumers, such as seat adjustment 2 Ignition (power supply for all electrical consumers) and driving position 3 Starting position Getting started Unlocking If the key is left in the starter switch position 0 for an extended period of time, it can no longer be turned in the starter switch. 앫 Remove the key from the starter switch and reinsert. If the key can still not be turned, the battery may not be sufficiently charged. 앫 Check the battery and charge it if necessary (컄 page 294). 앫 Get a jump start (컄 page 297). To prevent accelerated battery dis- charge and a possible dead battery, al- ways remove the key from the starter switch. 31 Getting started Adjusting Adjusting Warning! All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas- tening of seat belts, must be done before the vehicle is put into motion. Seats serious or fatal injuries. The seat back and seat belts provide the best restraint when the wearer is in an upright position and belts are properly positioned on the body. Your seat must be adjusted so that you can cor- rectly fasten your seat belt (컄 page 41). Never place hands under the seat or near any moving parts while a seat is being ad- justed. The seats can be adjusted either manually or electrically, depending on the vehicle’s equipment. Warning! Warning! Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving. Adjusting the seat while driving could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re- clined position can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the belt would apply force at the abdomen or neck. That could cause 32 When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch and lock your ve- hicle. The power seats* can also be operated with the driver’s or passenger door open. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu- pervised use of vehicle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury. Warning! Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with the BabySmartTM system installed in the ve- hicle to deactivate the passenger side front airbag when it is properly installed. Other- wise they will be struck by the airbag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury will result. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seat- ing positions. Infants and small children must ride in back seats and be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system, which is properly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in accordance with the child seat manufactur- er’s instructions. A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Manual seat 1 Seat fore and aft adjustment 2 Seat cushion tilt 3 Seat height 4 Backrest tilt Seat fore and aft adjustment 왘 Lift handle 1. 왘 Slide seat to the desired position. 왘 Allow handle 1 to reengage. Check for proper engagement before driving. 왘 Check for proper engagement before driving. Adjust to a comfortable seating position that still allows you to reach the accelera- tor/brake pedal safely. The position should be as far rearward as possible, con- sistent with ability to properly operate con- trols. When moving the seats, be sure that there are no items in the footwell or be- hind the seats. Otherwise you could damage the seats. Seat cushion tilt 왘 Turn handwheel 2 forward or backward until your upper legs are lightly sup- ported. Getting started Adjusting Seat height 왘 Pull handle 3 up to raise seat cushion. Push handle 3 down to lower seat cushion Backrest tilt 왘 Turn handwheel 4 forward or back- ward. Head restraint height Warning! For your protection, drive only with properly positioned head restraints. Adjust head restraint to support the back of the head approximately at ear level. Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head restraints. Head restraints are intend- ed to help reduce injuries during an acci- dent. 33 Getting started Adjusting 1 Release knob 왘 Manually adjust the height of the head restraint by pulling it upward. To lower the head restraint, push release knob 1 and press down on the head restraint. Head restraint tilt 왘 Manually adjust the angle of the head restraint. Push or pull on the lower edge of the head restraint cushion. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 89) 34 Power seat* 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to Seat fore and aft adjustment 왘 Press the switch forward or backward position 1 or 2. or 왘 Open the driver’s or front passenger door. The seat adjustment switches are located in each front door. 1 Head restraint height 2 Seat height 3 Seat cushion tilt 4 Seat fore and aft adjustment 5 Backrest tilt in the direction of arrow 4. Adjust to a comfortable seating posi- tion that still allows you to reach the accelerator/brake pedal safely. The position should be as far to the rear as possible, consistent with ability to properly operate controls. When moving the seat, be sure that there are no items in the footwell or be- hind the seat. Otherwise you could damage the seat. With the memory function* (컄 page 93) you can store seat posi- tions together with settings for the steering wheel and the exterior rear view mirrors. Seat height 왘 Press the switch up or down in the direction of arrow 2. Seat cushion tilt 왘 Press the switch up or down in the direction of arrow 3 until your upper legs are lightly supported. Backrest tilt 왘 Press the switch forward or back in direction of arrow 5 until your arms are slightly angled when holding the steer- ing wheel. Head restraint height 왘 Press the switch up or down in the di- rection of arrow 1. Getting started Adjusting Warning! Folding the front seat backrest forward For your protection, drive only with properly positioned head restraints. Adjust head restraint to support the back of the head approximately at ear level. Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head restraints. Head restraints are intend- ed to help reduce injuries during an acci- dent. Head restraint tilt 왘 Manually adjust the angle of the head restraint. Push or pull on the lower edge of the head restraint cushion. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 89). 1 Release lever In addition to the front seat backrests, the front seat cushions can also be shifted forward to permit easy access to the rear whenever the seat is located in the rear half of its adjustment range. Swivel backrest forward by pulling the release lever until the seat moves in a combined forward and upward move- ment. 35 Getting started Adjusting Folding backrest forward 왘 Pull release lever 1 forward and tilt the Folding backrest back 왘 Fold and press the backrest rearward Rear seat head restraints seat backrest forward. until it engages in driving position. Warning! Vehicles with power seat*: The head restraints will automatically move down. Vehicles with power seat*: The head restraint returns to its previous posi- tions. 왘 Vehicles with manual seat adjustment: If necessary, press the head restraint downward while tilting the backrest forward. 왘 Vehicles with manual seat adjustment: If necessary, pull the head restraint out while tilting the seat back. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 89). For safety reasons, always drive with the rear head restraints in the upright position when the rear seats are occupied. Keep the area around head restraints clear of articles (e.g. clothing) to not obstruct the folding operation of the head restraints. 1 Lock button 36 Folding head restraints back 왘 Push lock button 1. Raising: 왘 Pull up on head restraint. The head restraints will fold backward. Placing head restraint upright 왘 Pull the head restraint forward until it locks into position. Two different head restraint angle posi- tions are available. If the head restraint is fully retracted, press release knob 1 and pull the head restraint out. Lowering: 왘 Push button 1. 왘 Push down on head restraint. Head restraint height Warning! For your protection, drive only with properly positioned head restraints. Adjust head restraint to support the back of the head approximately at ear level. Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head restraints. Head restraints are intend- ed to help reduce injuries during an acci- dent. 1 Release knob Getting started Adjusting Steering wheel Warning! Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv- ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv- ing, or driving without the adjustment locked could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch and lock your ve- hicle. The electrical steering wheel adjustment feature* can also be operated with the driv- er’s door open. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi- cle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury. 37 Getting started Adjusting Steering wheel adjustment, manual 1 Release handle 왘 To unlock the steering column, pull handle 1 out until its stop limit. 왘 Adjust the steering wheel to the de- sired position. 왘 To lock, press handle 1 all the way in until it engages. The steering wheel is once again locked into position. 38 Do not drive the vehicle until you have properly locked the steering column. If the warning message STEERING WHEEL ADJUST - LOCK! is displayed while the engine is running, the steer- ing column is not locked (컄 page 268). Steering wheel adjustment, electrical* 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 1 or 2. or 왘 Open the driver’s door. The switch is located on the steering col- umn (lower left). 1 Steering column, lengthen or shorten 2 Steering column, height Steering column, lengthen or shorten 왘 Move stalk forward or backward in the direction of arrow 1 until a comfortable steering wheel position is reached with your arms slightly bent at the elbow. Steering column, height 왘 Move stalk up or down in the direction of arrow 2. Make sure that your legs can move freely and that all the dis- plays (including malfunction and indi- cator lamps) on the instrument cluster are clearly visible. With the memory function* (컄 page 93) you can store settings for the steering wheel together with set- tings for the exterior rear view mirrors and seat positions. Mirrors Adjust the inside and exterior rear view mirrors before driving so that you have a good view of the road and traffic condi- tions. Warning! In the case of an accident liquid electrolyte may escape the mirror housing if the mirror glass breaks. Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al- low the liquid to come into contact with eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system. In case it does, immediately flush affected area with water, and seek medical help if necessary. Getting started Adjusting Inside rear view mirror 왘 Manually adjust the inside rear view mirror. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 138). 39 Getting started Adjusting Exterior rear view mirrors Warning! Exercise care when using the passenger side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror surface is convex (outwardly curved surface for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. Check your in- side rear view mirror or glance over your shoulder before changing lanes. Electrolyte drops coming into contact with the vehicle paint finish can only be completely removed while in their liquid state by applying plenty of water. 40 The buttons are located above the exterior lamp switch. 왘 Press button 3 for the left mirror or button 2 for the right mirror. 왘 Push adjustment button 1 up, down, left or right according to the setting de- sired. With the memory function* (컄 page 93) you can store settings for the exterior rear view mirrors together with seat positions and settings for the steering wheel. If an exterior rear view mirror housing is forcibly pushed forward or backward, reposition it by applying firm pressure until it snaps into place. The mirror housing is now properly positioned and you can adjust the mirror normally. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 138). 1 Adjustment button 2 Passenger side mirror 3 Driver’s side mirror 왘 Make sure that the ignition is switched on. All the lights in the instrument cluster light up. Driving Warning! Do not lay any objects in the driver’s foot- well. Be careful that floor mats or carpets in the driver’s footwell have sufficient clear- ance for the pedals. During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the objects could get caught between the pedals. You could then no longer brake or accelerate. Fastening the seat belt Warning! Always fasten your seat belt before driving off. Always make sure your passengers are properly restrained, even those sitting in the rear and pregnant women. Failure to wear and properly fasten and po- sition your seat belt greatly increases your risk of injuries and their likely severity in an accident. You and your passenger should al- ways wear seat belts. If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can be considerably more severe without your seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, the possibility of injury or death is lessened if you are wearing your seat belt. The airbags can only protect as ex- pected if the occupants are using their seat belts (컄 page 56). Getting started Driving Warning! Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with the BabySmartTM system installed in the ve- hicle to deactivate the passenger side front airbag when it is properly installed. Other- wise they will be struck by the airbag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury will result. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seat- ing positions. Infants and small children must ride in back seats and be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system, which is properly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in accordance with the child seat manufactur- er’s instructions. 41 Getting started Driving A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Warning! Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat backrest reclined. Sitting in an excessively reclined position can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the belt would apply force at the abdomen or neck. That could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belt provide the best re- straint when the wearer is in an upright po- sition and the belt is properly positioned on the body. 42 Warning! Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seat belts available. Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re- strained with a separate seat belt - even those in the rear. Warning! Read and observe the additional warning no- tices printed in the “Safety and Security” section (컄 page 60). The seat belt presenter for driver and pas- senger makes it easier to put on the seat belt. 1 Seat belt presenter 왘 Manually adjust the seat belt presenter to the desired position The seat belt presenter must be put back to its original position before lean- ing the seat backrest toward the rear or letting someone enter the rear passen- ger compartment. 왘 If necessary, tighten the lap portion to a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion up. Belt outlet height adjustment Getting started Driving Proper use of seat belts 앫 Do not twist the belt when fastening. 앫 Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder portion is located as close as possible to the middle of the shoulder (it should not touch the neck or pass under the arm). For this purpose, you can adjust the height of the belt outlet. 앫 Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips (over hip joint) and not across the abdomen. 앫 Place the seat backrest in a nearly up- right position. 1 Latch plate 2 Release button 3 Buckle 왘 With a smooth motion, pull the belt from the belt outlet. 왘 Place the belt over your shoulder. 왘 Push latch plate 1 into buckle 3 until it clicks. 1 Button for belt outlet height adjust- 앫 Never use a seat belt for more than one ment 왘 To raise, slide belt outlet upward. 왘 To lower, press button 1 and slide belt outlet downward. person at a time. 앫 Do not fasten a seat belt around a per- son and another object at the same time. 앫 Check your seat belt during travel to ensure that it is properly positioned. 43 Getting started Driving 앫 Ensure that the seat belt is always fit- ted snugly. You should avoid wearing bulky clothing, such as winter coats, when traveling in the vehicle. Warning! Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They could tear. Do not allow the belt to get caught in the door or in the seat adjustment mechanism. This could damage the belt. Never attempt to make modifications to seat belts. This could impair the effective- ness of the belts. Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 44 Starting the engine Manual transmission Warning! Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon- sciousness and lead to death. Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as garage) which are not properly ven- tilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the vehicle while driving, have the cause determined and corrected imme- diately. If you must drive under these condi- tions, drive only with at least one window fully open. Gearshift pattern for manual transmission 왘 Make sure that the gearshift lever is in Neutral position. 왘 Do not depress accelerator. 왘 Fully depress clutch pedal. Otherwise the engine cannot be start- ed due to the integrated safety inter- lock. 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 3. Release only when the en- gine is firing regularly (컄 page 31). More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 130). Automatic transmission* Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission P Park position with selector lever lock R Reverse gear N Neutral D Drive position 왘 Make sure that the gear selector lever is set to P. 왘 Do not depress accelerator. Starting 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 3 and hold until the engine starts (컄 page 31). You can also use the “touch-start” function. Turn the key to position 3 and release it again immediately. The en- gine then starts automatically. 왘 Depress the brake pedal. The selector lever lock is released. For information on turning off the engine with the key see “Turning off the engine” (컄 page 52) Getting started Driving Starting difficulties If the engine does not start as described, carry out the following steps: 왘 Turn key in starter to position 0 and re- peat starting procedure. Remember that extended starting at- tempts can drain the battery 왘 Get a jump start (컄 page 297). If the engine does not start after several starting attempts, there could be a mal- function in the engine electronics or in the fuel supply system. 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 45 Getting started Driving Parking brake 1 Release handle 2 Parking brake Warning! When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch and lock the ve- hicle. 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 injury. 46 왘 Release the parking brake by pulling on handle 1. The indicator lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instrument cluster goes out. Driving 왘 Depress the brake pedal. 왘 Move selector lever to position D or R (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). 왘 Release the brake pedal. 왘 Carefully depress the accelerator pedal. Once the vehicle is in motion, the auto- matic central locking system engages and the locking knobs drop down. You can open a locked door from the inside. Open door only when conditions are safe to do so. If you hear a warning signal when driv- ing off, you have forgotten to release the parking brake. Release the parking brake. Simultaneously depressing the acceler- ator pedal and applying the brake re- duces engine performance and causes premature brake and drivetrain wear. After a cold start, the automatic transmis- sion engages at a higher revolution. This al- lows the catalytic converter to reach its operating temperature earlier. Vehicles with automatic transmission: Wait for the gear selection process to complete before setting the vehicle in motion. Getting started Driving Switching on headlamps Turn signals and high beam The combination switch is on the left of the steering column. Exterior lamp switch 1 Off 2 Low beam headlamps on 왘 Turn the switch to B. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 96). Combination switch 1 Turn signals, right 2 Turn signals, left 왘 Press the combination switch up 1 or down 2. Warning! Vehicles with automatic transmission: It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of P or 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 in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or some- thing. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal. 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. More information on driving can be found in the “Operation” section (컄 page 215). 47 Getting started Driving To signal minor directional changes, move combination switch to point of resistance only and release. The turn signal blinks three times. High beam 왘 Push the combination switch forward. The high beam symbol A in the instrument cluster lights up. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 99). 48 Windshield wipers The combination switch is on the left of the steering column. Switching on windshield wipers 왘 Turn the combination switch to the de- sired position depending on the inten- sity of the rain. 0 Windshield wipers off Intermittent wiping II Normal wiper speed III Fast wiper speed Combination switch 1 Single wipe 2 Switching on windshield wipers 왘 Make sure that the ignition is switched on. Single wipe 왘 Press switch briefly in the direction of arrow 1. The windshield wipers wipe one time without washer fluid. Wiping with windshield washer fluid 왘 Push switch in the direction of arrow 1 past the resistance point. The windshield wiper operates with washer fluid. Vehicles without rain sensor*: Fast wiper speed III goes to setting II when the vehicle is standing still. Vehicles with rain sensor*: Intermittent wiping interval dependent on wetness of windshield. Wiping will not occur with a door open. Vehicles with rain sensor*: Do not leave in intermittent setting when vehi- cle is taken to an automatic car wash or during windshield cleaning. Wipers will operate in presence of water sprayed on the windshield, and wipers may be damaged as a result. The switch should not be left in inter- mittent setting as the wipers will wipe the windshield once every time the en- gine is started. Dust that accumulates on the windshield might scratch the glass when wiping occurs on a dry windshield. Getting started Driving If leaves, snow, etc. block the wind- shield wipers, switch off the wipers. 앫 For safety reasons, withdraw key from starter switch. Remove block- age. 앫 Turn the windshield wipers on again. If windshield wipers fail to function at all in switch position I, 앫 set the combination switch to the next highest wiper speed. 앫 have the windshield wipers checked at the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 49 Getting started Driving 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 by an au- thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. The coolant temperature is over 248°F (120°C) The coolant is too hot and is no longer cooling the engine. 왘 Stop the vehicle as soon as possible and turn off the engine. Allow engine and coolant to cool. 왘 Check the coolant level and add cool- ant if necessary (컄 page 229). In case of accident If the vehicle is leaking gasoline: 왘 Do not start the engine under any cir- cumstances. 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. 50 Parking and locking You have now completed your first drive. You have properly stopped and parked your vehicle. End your drive as follows. Warning! Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re- moving the key from the starter switch. The vehicle cannot be steered when the key is removed. Warning! With the engine not running, there is no power assistance for the brake and steering system. In this case, it is important to keep in mind that a considerably higher degree of effort is necessary to stop or steer the vehi- cle. Getting started Parking and locking Warning! Parking brake 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 Firmly depress parking brake pedal. 앫 Move the selector lever to position P (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). 앫 Slowly release brake pedal. 앫 When parked on an incline, turn front wheels towards road curb. 앫 Turn the key to starter switch position 0 and remove. 앫 Take the key and lock vehicle when leav- ing. 1 Release handle 2 Parking brake 왘 Step firmly on parking brake 2. When the engine is running, the indica- tor lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instrument cluster will be illuminated. 51 Getting started Parking and locking Warning! Warning! When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch and lock the ve- hicle. 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 injury. Getting out of your vehicle with the selector lever not fully engaged in position P is dan- gerous. Also, when parked on an incline, position P alone may not prevent your vehi- cle from moving, possibly hitting people or objects. Always set the parking brake in addition to shifting to position P (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). When parked on an incline, turn front wheels towards the road curb. 52 Switching off headlamps 왘 Turn the exterior lamp switch to M (컄 page 47). More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 96). Turning off engine 왘 Place the gear selector lever in position P (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). Always set the parking brake in addi- tion to shifting to position P (manual transmission: first or reverse gear). On steep slopes, turn the front wheels towards the road curb. Getting started Parking and locking 왘 After exiting the vehicle press the lock button ‹ on the remote control (컄 page 30). The locking knobs on the doors move down. More information can be found in the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 82). Warning! To prevent possible personal injury, always keep hands and fingers away from the door openings when closing the doors. Be espe- cially careful when small children are around. Before closing doors, make sure that there is no possibility of someone getting caught in a door during closing. Turning off with the SmartKey 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 0 and remove it. The immobilizer is activated. 왘 Press the seat belt release button (컄 page 41). Vehicles with automatic transmission: The SmartKey can only be removed from the starter switch with the gear selector lever in position P. With the SmartKey removed and the driver’s door open, a warning sounds if the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not switched off. 53 54 Safety and Security Occupant safety Panic alarm* Driving safety systems Anti-theft systems 55 The 1 warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up: 앫 for about 4 seconds when you turn the key in the starter switch to position 1. 앫 for about 4 seconds when you start the engine by turning the key. The warning lamp goes out shortly after you start the engine. This shows that the restraint systems are operational. A malfunction in the system has been de- tected if the 1 warning lamp: 앫 fails to extinguish after approximately The warning lamp remains lit if the key is turned to position 2 and left there. The warning lamp will go out when you start the engine. 4 seconds. 앫 does not come on at all. 앫 comes on after the engine was started or while driving. For safety reasons, we strongly recom- mend that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the system checked. More information can be found in the “Practical hints” section (컄 page 248). Safety and Security Occupant safety Occupant safety In this section you will learn the most im- portant facts about the restraint systems of the vehicle. The restraint systems are 앫 Seat belts 앫 Emergency tensioning device 앫 Airbags 앫 Child seats 앫 Child seat recognition 앫 Lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) As independent systems their protective effects work in conjunction with each oth- er. For information on infants and children traveling with you in the vehicle and re- straint systems for infants and chil- dren, see “Children in the vehicle” (컄 page 65). 56 G Airbags Warning! In the event that the SRS malfunction indica- tor lamp lights up during driving or does not come on at all, the SRS may not be opera- tional. For your safety, we strongly recom- mend that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the system checked; otherwise the SRS may not be activated when needed in an acci- dent, which could result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also result in inju- ry. Improper work on the restraint systems, in- cluding incorrect installation and removal, can lead to possible injury through an unin- tended activation of the SRS. In addition, through improper work there is a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or causing unintended airbag deployment. Work on the SRS must therefore only be per- formed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Warning! Airbags are designed to reduce the potential of injury in certain frontal (front airbags) im- pacts, or side (side impact and head protec- tion window curtain airbags) impacts which may cause significant injuries. However, no system available today can totally eliminate injuries and fatalities. The activation of the SRS temporarily releas- es a small amount of dust from the airbags. This dust, however, is neither injurious to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause some tempo- rary breathing difficulty for people with asth- ma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or door. Safety and Security Occupant safety Warning! To reduce the risk of injury when the front airbags inflate, it is very important for the driver and front passenger to always be in a properly seated position and to wear your seat belts. For maximum protection in the event of a collision always be in normal seated position with your back against the backrest. Fasten your seat belt and ensure that it is properly positioned on your body. Since the airbag inflates with considerable speed and force, a proper seating and hands on steering wheel position will help to keep you at a safe distance from the airbag. Oc- cupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag can be seriously in- jured by an airbag as it inflates with great force in the blink of an eye: 앫 Sit properly belted in an upright position with your back against the seat back- rest. 57 Safety and Security Occupant safety 앫 Adjust the driver seat as far as possible rearward, still permitting proper opera- tion of vehicle controls. The distance from the center of the driver’s breast- bone to the center of the airbag cover on the steering wheel must be at least ten inches (25 cm) or more. You should be able to accomplish this by a combina- tion of adjustments to the seat and steering wheel. If you have any prob- lems, please see your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 앫 Do not lean with your head or chest close to the steering wheel or dash- board. 앫 Keep hands on the outside of steering wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in- side the rim can increase the risk and potential severity of hand/arm injury when driver front airbag inflates. 앫 Adjust the front passenger seat as far as possible rearward from the dashboard when the seat is occupied. 58 앫 Occupants, especially children, should never lean their heads in the area of the door where the side airbag inflates. This could result in serious injuries or death should the airbag be triggered. Always sit upright, properly use the seat belts and appropriate size infant or child re- straint system. 앫 Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with the BabySmartTM system installed in the vehicle to deacti- vate the passenger side front airbag when it is properly installed. Otherwise they will be struck by the airbag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, seri- ous or fatal injury will result. Failure to follow these instructions can re- sult in severe injuries to you or other occu- pants. If you sell your vehicle you are responsible to make the buyer aware of these points. Be sure to give the buyer this Operator’s Manu- al. Warning! Accident research shows that the safest place for children in an automobile is in the rear seat. Should you choose to place a child 12 years old or under in the front passenger seat of your vehicle, you must properly use a BabySmartTM child restraint which will turn off the passenger side front airbag. BabySmartTM will not, however, turn off any side impact airbag. It should be noted that with respect to both front and rear side impact airbags there is a possibility for a side airbag related injury if occupants, especially children, are not prop- erly seated or restrained when next to a side airbag which needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job. To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow these guidelines: (1) Occupants, especially children, should never place their bodies or lean their heads in the area of the door or rear i Airbags are designed to activate only in certain frontal (front airbags) impacts, or side (side impact and head protec- tion window curtain airbags) impacts which exceed preset thresholds. Only during these types of impacts, if of sufficient severity to meet the deploy- ment thresholds, will they provide their supplemental protection. The driver and passenger should al- ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for the airbags to pro- vide their supplemental protection. quarter trim panels where the side air- bag inflates. This could result in serious injuries or death should the side airbag be activated. (2) Always sit upright, properly use the seat belts and use an appropriately sized in- fant or child restraint system for all chil- dren 12 years old or under. (3) Always wear seat belts properly. If you believe that, even with the use of these guidelines, it would be safer for your rear seat occupants to have both rear side airbags deactivated, then deactivation can be accomplished upon your written request to do so at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an additional cost. Please contact your local authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372) for details. Safety and Security Occupant safety In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts, roll-overs, other side impacts, rear collisions, or other acci- dents, the airbags will not be activated. The driver and passengers will then be protected by the fastened seat belts. We caution you not to rely on the pres- ence of the airbags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt. Your vehicle was originally equipped with airbags that are designed to acti- vate in certain impacts exceeding a preset threshold to reduce the poten- tial and severity of injury. It is important to your safety and that of your passen- ger that you replace deployed airbags and repair any malfunctioning airbags to ensure that the vehicle will continue to provide supplement crash protec- tion for occupants. 59 Safety and Security Occupant safety Safety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency tensioning device and airbag Warning! 앫 Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked. Use only belts in- stalled or supplied by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 앫 Airbags and ETDs are designed to func- tion on a one-time-only basis. An airbag or emergency tensioning device (ETD) that was activated must be replaced 60 앫 No modifications of any kind may be made to any components or wiring of the SRS. This includes changing or re- moving any component or part of the SRS, the installation of additional trim material, badges etc. over the steering wheel hub, front passenger airbag cov- er, door trim panels, or door frame trims, and installation of additional elec- trical/electronic equipment on or near SRS components and wiring. Keep area between airbags and occupants free from objects (e.g. packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.). 앫 Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They could tear. 앫 Do not make any modification that could change the effectiveness of the belts. 앫 Do not hang items such as coat hangers from the coat hooks or handles over the door. These items may turn into projec- tiles and cause head and other injuries when curtain airbag is deployed. 앫 An airbag system component within the steering wheel gets hot after the airbag has inflated. Do not touch. 앫 Improper work on the system, including incorrect installation and removal, can lead to possible injury through an unin- tended activation of the SRS. 앫 In addition, through improper work there is a risk of rendering the SRS inop- erative or causing unintended airbag de- ployment. Work on the SRS must therefore only be performed by an au- thorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 앫 For your protection and the protection of others, when scrapping the airbag unit or emergency tensioning device, our safety instructions must be fol- lowed. These instructions are available from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 앫 Given the considerable deployment speed and the textile structure of the airbags, there is the possibility of abra- sions or other injuries resulting from air- bag deployment. The front passenger airbag will only be de- ployed if: 앫 the front passenger seat is occupied 앫 the 7 indicator lamp in the center console is not lit (컄 page 67). When you sell your vehicle we strongly urge you to give notice to the subsequent owner that it is equipped with an “SRS” by alerting them to the applicable section in the Operator’s Manual. Front airbags Driver and passenger airbags are de- ployed: 앫 in the event of a frontal impact 앫 if impact exceeds a preset deployment threshold 앫 independently of the side impact air- bags The airbags will not deploy in impacts which do not exceed the system’s deploy- ment thresholds. You will then be protect- ed by the fastened seat belts. 1 Driver airbag 2 Passenger airbag Safety and Security Occupant safety Do not place objects heavier than 20 lbs (9kg) on the front passenger seat. This could cause the front or side impact airbag on the front passenger side to deploy in a crash which exceeds the system’s deployment threshold. Side impact airbags, window curtain airbags The side impact airbags and window cur- tain airbags are deployed: 앫 on the impacted side of the vehicle 앫 in impacts exceeding a preset deploy- ment threshold 앫 independently of the front airbags The side impact airbags are not deployed in impacts which do not exceed the sys- tem’s deployment threshold. 61 Safety and Security Occupant safety The front passenger side airbag will only deploy if the system senses that the front passenger seat is occupied. 1 Window curtain airbag 2 Side impact airbags Seat belts The seat belt nonusage warning lamp < in the instrument cluster lights up and a warning sounds for a short time when you turn the key in the starter switch to position 2 and the driver‘s seat belt is not fastened. 62 After starting the engine the seat belt non- usage warning lamp blinks for a brief peri- od to remind the driver and passengers to fasten the seat belts. The use of seat belts and infant and child restraint systems is required by law in most states and all Canadian provinces. Even where this is not the case, all vehicle occupants should have their seat belts fas- tened whenever the vehicle is in motion. Information on fastening seat belts is found in the “Getting started” section (컄 page 41). For information on infants and children traveling with you in the vehicle and re- straint systems for infants and chil- dren, see “Children in the vehicle” (컄 page 65). Warning! Always fasten your seat belt before driving off. Always make sure your passengers are properly restrained, even those sitting in the rear and pregnant women. Failure to wear and properly fasten and po- sition your seat belt greatly increases your risk of injuries and their likely severity in an accident. You and your passengers should always wear seat belts. If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can be considerably more severe without your seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, the possibility of injury or death is lessened if you are properly wearing your seat belt. Airbags can only protect as they are designed if the occupants are prop- erly wearing their seat belts. Warning! Warning! Warning! Safety and Security Occupant safety Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked. Only use seat belts which have been ap- proved by Mercedes-Benz. Do not make any modifications to the seat belts. This can lead to unintended activation or to failure. Have all work carried out only by an autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat backrest reclined. Sitting in an excessively reclined position can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the belt would apply force at the abdomen or neck. That could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belt provide the best re- straint when the wearer is in an upright po- sition and the belt is properly positioned on the body. Warning! Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seat belts available. Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re- strained with a separate seat belt. USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY 앫 Seat belts can only work when used properly. Never wear seat belts in any other way than as described in this sec- tion, as that could result in serious inju- ries in case of an accident. 앫 Each occupant should wear their seat belt at all times, because seat belts help reduce the likelihood of and potential severity of injuries in accidents, includ- ing rollovers. The integrated restraint system includes SRS (driver airbag, front passenger airbag, side impact air- bags, head protection window curtain airbags for side windows), ETD (seat belt emergency tensioning device), and front seat knee bolsters. The system is de- signed to enhance the protection of- fered to properly belted occupants in certain frontal (front airbags) and side (side impact and window curtain air- bags) impacts which exceed preset de- ployment thresholds. 63 Safety and Security Occupant safety 앫 Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm, against your neck or off your shoul- der. In a crash, your body would move too far forward. That would increase the chance of head and neck injuries. The belt would also apply too much force to the ribs or abdomen, which could se- verely injure internal organs such as your liver or spleen. 앫 Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these might cause injuries. 앫 Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips and not across the abdo- men. If the belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in a crash. 앫 Never use a seat belt for more than one person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt around a person and another per- son or other objects. 앫 Belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to manage impact forces. The twisted belt against your body could cause injuries. 앫 Pregnant women should also use a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be positioned as low as possible on the hips to avoid any possible pres- sure on the abdomen. 앫 Never place your feet on the instrument panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat. Emergency tensioning device (ETD) The seat belts are equipped with emergen- cy tensioning devices and belt force limit- ers. The ETD is designed to activate in the fol- lowing cases when the seat belts are fas- tened: 앫 in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed- ing a preset severity level 앫 if the restraint systems are operational and functioning correctly, see 1 indicator lamp (컄 page 56) In an impact, emergency tensioning devic- es remove slack from the belts in such a way that the seat belts fit more snugly against the body. Belt force limiters reduce the force exerted by the seat belts on oc- cupants during a crash. 64 Warning! Children in the vehicle An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that was activated must be replaced. When scrapping the emergency tensioning device, our safety instructions must be fol- lowed. These are available at your autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not place objects heavier than 20 lbs (9kg) on the front passenger seat. This could cause the front or side impact airbag on the front passenger side to deploy in a crash which exceeds the system’s deployment threshold. If an infant or child is traveling with you in the vehicle: 앫 Secure the child using an infant or child restraint appropriate to the age and size of the child and recommended for use by Mercedes-Benz. 앫 Ensure that the infant or child is prop- erly secured by a belt at all times while the vehicle is in motion. Infant and child restraint seats and infor- mation on choosing an appropriate re- straint system can be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Center. Safety and Security Occupant safety Infant and child restraint systems Use only a BabySmartTM compatible child restraint for the front passenger seat in this vehicle. We recommend all infants and children be properly restrained at all times while the vehicle is in motion. All lap-shoulder belts except the driver‘s seat belt have special seat belt retractors for secure fastening of child restraints. To fasten a child restraint, follow child re- straint instructions for mounting. Then pull the shoulder belt out completely and let it retract. During the seat belt retraction, a ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate that the special seat belt retractor is acti- vated. The belt is now locked. Push down on child restraint to take up any slack. To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and let seat belt retract completely. The seat belt can again be used in the usual man- ner. BabySmartTM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp. 65 Safety and Security Occupant safety Information on child seats with mount- ing fittings for tether anchorages (컄 page 69). For information on “LATCH”-type child seat mounts (컄 page 70). Warning! Never release the seat belt buckle while the vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt retractor will be deactivated. The use of infant or child restraints is required by law in all 50 states, the Dis- trict of Columbia, the U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces. 66 Infants and small children should be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system properly secured by a lap-shoulder belt or, if so equipped, a child restraint lower anchorage system that complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2. A statement by the child restraint man- ufacturer of compliance with this stan- dard can be found on the instruction label on the restraint and in the instruc- tion manual provided with the restraint. When using any infant or child restraint system, be sure to carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s instructions for installation and use. Please read and observe warning labels affixed to inside of vehicle and to infant or child restraints. Warning! Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with the BabySmartTM system installed in the ve- hicle to deactivate the passenger front air- bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise they will be struck by the airbag when it in- flates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury will result.

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2003 Mercedes-benz C Class Coupe Owners Manual