2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE key

287
Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Replacing wiper blades
Removing
Fold the wiper arm forward.

Press safety tab down 2.

Push wiper blade downward 1 and re-
move. Replacing wiper blade insert

Place wiper blade on firm support.

Press down both tabs.

Slide (direction of arrow) the wiper
blade insert out of the retainer claws.

Slide (direction of arrow) the new wiper
blade insert into retainer claws until
tabs are engaged.
Installing
Slide wiper blade onto wiper arm until
it locks in place.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, remove key from starter
switch before replacing a wiper blade, other-
wise the motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Never open the hood when the wiper
arm is folded forward.
Do not allow the wiper arms to contact
the windshield glass without a wiper
blade inserted.
Make certain that the wiper blades are
properly installed. Improperly installed
wiper blades may cause windshield
damage.
For your convenience, we recommend
that you have this work carried out by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

292 Practical hintsFlat tire
Before storing the jack in the trunk, it
should be fully collapsed, with handle
folded in.Inflating the spare tire

Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk.
1 Flap
2 Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
3 Union nut
4 Electrical plug
Please exercise appropriate caution

Open flap 1 on air pump.

Pull out electrical plug 4 and air hose
with the pressure gauge 2.
Observe instructions on air pump label.

Remove the valve cap from valve.

Screw the air hose 2 on to the tire
valve.

Insert electrical plug 4 into vehicle cig-
arette lighter socket.

To switch on the air pump turn the key
in the starter switch to position 1
(page 31).

Operate air pump until the pressure
gauge displays 36 psi (2.5 bar)
This takes about five minutes for the
space tire. The air hose 2 and the union
nut 3 can become hot during inflation.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
80 ft lb (110 Nm).
Warning!
G
Observe instructions on air pump label.


293
Practical hints
Flat tire

To switch off the air pump turn the key
in the starter switch to position
0
(page 31).

If the tire pressure is above 36 psi (2.5
bar), release excess tire pressure using
the vent screw.

Detach the electric air pump.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.
!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than six minutes without inter-
ruption. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again af-
ter it has cooled off.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinfalted tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified vehicle capacity weight (as indicat-
ed by the label on the driver’s door latch
post). Overloading the tires can overheat
them, possibly causing a blowout.

294 Practical hintsBattery
BatteryThe battery is located in the engine com-
partment on the right hand side.
Removal of filter box:
Release the three clamps1.

Remove filter box.
Installation of filter box:

Insert filter box properly.

Secure it with the three clamps 1.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
!Never loosen or detach battery termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running
or the key is in the starter switch. Oth-
erwise the alternator and other elec-
tronic components could be severely
damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Service Booklet for mainte-
nance intervals or contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.

299
Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment. This method is pref-
erable to other types of towing. When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as
necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with key in starter switch turned
to position
0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79) and deactivate the auto-
matic central locking (
page 122).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(key in starter switch position 0 or 1).
Otherwise, the ESP will immediately be
engaged and will apply the rear wheel
brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the selector lever must
be in position N (manual transmission:
gears disengaged) and the key must be
in starter switch position 2.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground or the front axle raised,
the vehicle may be towed only for dis-
tances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).

300 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the key is in
starter switch position 2.
If the key is left in starter switch position 0
for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
key from starter switch and reinsert.
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
key in starter switch to position 2 and
activate the combination switch for the
left or right turn signal in the usual
manner – only the selected turn signal
will operate.
Upon canceling the tu rn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.

301
Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the braking and steer-
ing systems. In this case, it is important to
keep in mind that a considerably higher de-
gree of effort is necessary to brake and
steer the vehicle. Adapt your driving accord-
ingly.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the key in starter switch
position
2, the vehicle doors lock if the
left front wheel as well as the right rear
wheel are turning at vehicle speeds of
approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79).
To prevent the vehicle doors from lock-
ing, deactivate the automatic central
locking (
page 122).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to vehicle chassis,
frame or suspension parts.
iIf the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged

the key will not turn in the starter
switch. See notes on the battery
(page 294) or on jump starting
(page 297).


the selector lever will remain
locked in position P. See notes on
manual unlocking of gear selector
lever (
page 277).

329
Technical terms
GPS*
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer
and fuel gauge.
Kickdown Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Lock button Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door. Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions for
each key.
Menu The control system displays are ar-
ranged in menus. Each menu contains
a number of commands for particular
systems. In the Audio menu, for exam-
ple, you will find the commands
Select
radio station
or Operate CD player
.
Using commands you can directly
change the settings for your vehicle.
MON (M
otor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized meth-
od. It is an indication of a gasoline's
ability to resist undesired detonation
(knocking). The average of both the
MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as AN-
TI-KNOCK INDEX. Multifunction display
Display field in the instrument cluster
used to present information provided
by the control system.
Multifunction steering wheel Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.
Overspeed range Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gine speed range, as it may result in se-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.